


I Only Have Room In My Heart (And In My Bed) For Her

by AgentOfShip



Series: AgentOfShip does Marvel Fluff Bingo 2019 [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Academy Era, Childhood Friends, Childhood Friends to Lovers, F/M, First Kiss, Sharing a Bed, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED, spanning fifteen years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 00:44:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19096285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentOfShip/pseuds/AgentOfShip
Summary: Five times FitzSimmons shared a single bed and one time they had a double bed (and didn't need all that room anyway)Written for the square bed sharing for Marvel Fluff Bingo.Thanks to @LibbyWeasley for making the story so much better :)





	I Only Have Room In My Heart (And In My Bed) For Her

**Seven years old**

Jemma didn't flinch as lightning turned the sky bright as daylight, but exactly six seconds later thunder rumbled louder than ever and a gasp escaped her mouth. 

"You're afraid of thunder," Leo declared and she huffed as she rolled over to look at him.

"No, I'm not!"

Another bolt of lightning struck and she gasped once more. It was getting stronger. One, two, three. Thunder rumbled. And closer as well. 

"You're very scared," Leo declared, his victorious grin made a little less impressive than it should have been by the missing tooth right in the middle. 

Jemma grabbed one of her plush toys and threw it at his face over the bedside table. He avoided it easily and kept it in his bed, grinning even wider. Jemma rolled over on her back to watch the plastic stars on the ceiling since she couldn't see the real ones tonight. 

Leo was here so often that Jemma's parents had bought him a real bed so he wouldn't have to sleep in a sleeping bag on the ground. Her parents told her every time that it was because Leo's mom had to work late at the hospital but she knew it had something to do with his father. He was scary and he wasn't nice and Jemma felt better when Leo was with her rather than alone with him at home.

"I'm not scared. I just don't like it," Jemma replied like she always did. She knew it couldn't hit them inside the house so there was no reason to be scared. And she wasn't a baby anymore, she was seven, and the previous week she'd confronted Rory Kinnan all on her own and he was eleven and almost twice as tall as she was. So she wasn't going to be scared by a little thunder.

"You mean like I'm not scared of Mrs Creeperson but just don't like her?" 

Mrs Creeperson (whose real name was in fact Mrs Ilverson) was the old school nurse and Jemma had to admit she'd rather be sick all day than go to her for help. Jemma didn't have a brother or sister, or even a cousin, living nearby so it was usually nice having Leo around so she wouldn't be alone all the time. But sometimes, he could be such a smartarse that it made her rethink her wish for him to be her real brother. 

"Ugh, fine!" 

"Do you want to come into the fort then?" Leo asked, surprisingly nicely for someone who was so snarky a minute ago. 

"What good will it do?"

"It'll protect us. I've tested it at home and it works."

"But it doesn't," Jemma started before cutting herself off. The fort was just how he tucked his covers behind the bed frame and created a tent of sorts, which wouldn't protect them from anything, but Jemma remembered that was how he slept at home when things were bad with his dad. And things did sound farther away when you heard them through the covers so… "Oh, ok then."

Jemma quickly ran to his bed and jumped on it. They easily built the fort together and sat with their legs crossed on each side of Jemma's torch that Leo had taken from the bedside table's drawer so they could still see each other. 

"Wanna play the dictionary game?" Leo proposed. 

"But you never last, you'll be asleep by the time we reach the Bs."

Leo rolled his eyes as he still turned around and reached outside the fort for the dictionary he knew Jemma always kept by her bed in case she needed to check a word she didn't know when she read before sleep. 

"That's alright then, I already know what bees are anyway."

"Leo, that's not what I—"

"I know, but I swear I'll last this time. Until the end of the storm at least. And you're not supposed to go through all the words, you know. You just pick at random."

"But how would you know you've been through all the words?" Jemma protested. She didn't want to learn a few random words here and there, she wanted to learn all the words!

"You're such a nerd."

"Maybe, but that's why I'm smarter than you and top of the class."

"You're not smarter, you just love homework more than everything else."

"And you're just a smartarse."

"Jemma!" he cried out in mock offense. "I'll tell your mom!"

"No, you won't! You say a lot more bad words than I do. You taught me all the ones I know." 

"Yeah," he replied, grinning widely and Jemma couldn't help grinning back. He did know a lot of very funny bad words that definitely weren't in the dictionary.

"Alright then, we'll start playing your way and then we'll do mine once one of us has correctly guessed twenty words."

"Ok, I'll start," he said enthusiastically as he put the dictionary on his lap. He opened it at random and looked up as he pointed at a specific spot with his index finger. "Oh, that one's easy. Inevitable." 

-0-0-0-

Fifteen minutes later, Leo had switched to lying on his belly as he flipped through the pages to find words for Jemma. Ten minutes after that, he was happily snoring and she had to take the dictionary from under him before he started drooling on it and replace it with his pillow. She should have been mad at him but she knew he'd tried his hardest to stay awake. And, at least for the past half hour, she hadn't even noticed the thunderstorm still going strong outside.

She didn't feel like going out of the fort now so she turned off the light, laid down next to her friend and put the extra blanket she'd brought into the fort over them both. Thunder rumbled loudly outside and Jemma reached for the hand Leo had extended towards her in his sleep. He squeezed back despite looking like he was still deeply asleep and it made Jemma feel better and much safer than any fort could ever do. 

 

**Ten Years old**

Staying at Jemma's usually made things better but, this time, there was no amount of Mrs Simmons' chocolate cake or enough Doctor Who episodes that would make him forget what had happened. His mom was trying to pretend everything would be back to normal soon but Leo knew what he'd heard the previous night and what he'd seen this morning. Their fight had been worse than usual and, amongst other things, he'd heard his father say that he would no longer be wasting his time on them. He'd heard him going through the cupboard right by his bedroom where they stocked the suitcases and travel bags. And this morning, when he'd passed by his mom's door, he'd seen that half the clothes were gone from their dresser and his dad was nowhere to be seen. But more than that, it was his mom's strangely calm attitude that told him that it wasn't like those times he'd disappear for a day or two and come back stinking of alcohol. This time, his father was gone for good and Leo didn't even know what to think of it. 

"Leo, do you want to talk about it?" she asked, looking at him from where she was sitting on her bed wearing her blue pyjamas with little robots on it.

"Don’t call me that."

"What? Leo?"

He nodded and she frowned.

"But that's your name. How am I supposed to call you?"

"I don't know. Just Fitz."

Leo was a baby's name and he wasn't a baby anymore. Babies had fathers who took care of them and he didn't. Not that he needed one anyway. He could take care of himself. Her mother didn't need to drop him at Jemma's every time she worked late. He could cook and do all the things that needed to be done around the house all by himself.

"Like they do on TV?" Jemma asked, scrunching up her nose, apparently not at all convinced by his idea.

"Yeah."

"Well if you want to change your name for something that's on TV, why not something cooler like Batman? You like building your own gadgets!"

"I'm not rich enough to be Batman."

"Ugh! What about The Doctor?"

"An immortal alien?" Fitz replied, raising his eyebrows in slight amusement.

"Ugh! Fine! Fitz it is. But it's ridiculous and it won't stick."

"If you say so…" 

They grinned at each other for a moment but it didn't last and Fitz was back to not knowing what he felt or even what he was supposed to be feeling.

"L-Fitz, do you want to talk about it?"

"No, there's nothing to talk about."

How was he supposed to talk about it with his best friend if he didn't even know how to talk about it with himself.

"Do you want to sleep then?"

"No."

"Do you want to play a game?"

"No."

"Do you, hum, do you want a hug?"

Fitz's head shot up and found in Jemma's eyes all the things he wasn't sure he was feeling. Anger, sadness and something nicer too.

"No…" he replied, hating how shaky his voice sounded despite himself.

Jemma tilted her head to the side like she did on the rare occasions she didn't immediately know the answer to a problem, and seemed to make a decision. She climbed off her bed and came to sit next to him on his. 

"Fitz, do you want a hug?" 

A knot was forming in his throat and it suddenly felt like he was on the verge of tears and that wasn't acceptable. Big boys didn't cry.

"No," he repeated weakly.

And just like she did every time someone said something she judged as silly or downright wrong, Jemma ignored his answer.

"Well, I want one!" she said, then threw her arms around him and pulled him to her until he had no choice but to do the same. She was tiny but her embrace was still strong and warm and completely overwhelming. It was in fact everything his father never was to him. A part of Fitz had always thought that one day, his father would stop drinking and get better and be everything that he'd seen Jemma's dad be to her, but now that hope was gone and that part of him with it.

The tears started to fall as a sob escaped his lips and her arms tightened around him. They remained like that for a long time, until he felt like he had no more tears left in him and he was so exhausted he thought he might fall asleep with his head on Jemma's shoulder. He opened his eyes again and couldn't help smiling at the goofy looking little robot looking back at him. 

"I like your pyjamas," he said, his voice barely more than a croak and he could feel Jemma smile against his neck. 

"I thought you would. Do you want to sleep now?" 

"Yes... you don't mind?"

"Of course not," she replied, squeezing him one last time before pulling back. He was surprised to see her wipe a few tears from her cheeks as well. "Don't worry about it," she said before he could feel guilty for making his best friend cry. 

She gave him a soft sleepy smile and turned around to turn the lights off before getting under the covers in his bed. He didn't even question it and did the same, lying on his side, facing her. He tentatively extended his hand between them and she took it immediately, gently intertwining their fingers together. 

"Thank you, Jemma," he whispered.

"That's what best friends are for." 

She squeezed his hand and with the light from the full moon filtering through the curtains, he could see her eyes close and the slight smile on her face. For once, Fitz took the longest to fall asleep that night but even once her breathing had deepened and her muscles had relaxed, Jemma never let go of his hand. 

Loved, Fitz thought as he finally started drifting off to sleep. That was how he felt at the moment. That one he was completely certain of and he'd make sure she would always feel the same as long as they were together.

 

**Fifteen years old**

It was all so ridiculous. She should have been enjoying her night with Fitz instead of brooding like a cliched teenager. They didn't do those sleepovers so often anymore. With both of them having a curfew for visitors in their dorm at Cambridge, the only opportunities for those were when they were back home for the holidays and even then, her mom now always gave them that suspicious look. Like anything could happen with Fitz. Or anyone else for that matter.

"Come on, tell me what's wrong," Fitz said from where he was lying on his back on his bed, absentmindedly playing with her old monkey plush toy. 

"Nothing… I'm just tired." 

"No, you're not!" he protested as he stood up and came to sit next to her on her bed. He bumped her shoulder lightly. "Come on, you've been looking… weird since we left the Christmas party last night. Did you have something to drink? I told you American beer wasn't worth it."

"No, I told you, I'm fine," she insisted all while not being able to keep the pout from her face.

"You're a terrible liar."

And with that, he poked at her ribs and she squealed in surprise.

"Stop that!"

"Then tell me."

"There's nothing to— hey!"

He poked at her ribs again and she did the same in retaliation. He looked shocked for a second but then his face took on that huge Cheshire cat grin she knew so well and before she could do anything, he had plunged and had started tickling her ribs and belly. 

"Fitz!" she squealed, trying her best to do the same to him and grinning in satisfaction when he let out a squeal of his own. But her victory was short lived when he tickled her even harder and she burst out laughing. It soon turned into a full tickle war with both of them laughing to tears and half lying on top of each other as they simultaneously tried to escape and attack the other. They finally tired out after a long moment and they ended up lying side by side on Jemma's bed. Which really wasn't quite as comfortable as it used to be with them having to be all squished together if they didn't want to risk falling off the side.

"I think we're getting too big to be in a single bed together," she said, her voice still a little breathless, and he chuckled.

"That's because of my very manly broad shoulders."

She turned her head to look at him and they grinned at each other. But to be fair to him, he had indeed been filling out a bit. And he was still growing while it looked like she would never be taller than that.

"So spill the beans, Simmons," he said after a moment, his tone softer than his words.

"It's nothing, it's just-it's stupid."

"I doubt it coming from you."

She smiled. He might have grown and his voice turned deeper but he was still the sweetest boy she ever knew who'd always stood up for her no matter what for almost ten years.

"I was talking with those girls last night and the subject of boys came up, which I found boring because I thought people had better things to talk about in University. But, anyway, one of the girls ended up saying that I'd never get to kiss one if I keep acting the way I do."

"What do you mean?" Fitz asked, frowning. At least someone else found this declaration as baffling as she did.

"They seemed to think I should sound less… intelligent. And I-I don't want to dumb myself down for a boy to get interested in me, it doesn't seem worth it."

"Of course you shouldn't, that's ridiculous!" Fitz let out, now sounding properly outraged. "Your brain's the best part of you."

"You think so?"

"Yes!" he cried out before he turned to her, his eyes a little wide. "Not-not that the rest of you isn't nice, you're very pretty and hu, you... smell nice."

"Thank you… I guess," she replied with a little smirk, glancing sideways at his pinking cheeks. 

"I-I wouldn't dumb myself down to have a chance to kiss someone either."

"Of course! And you shouldn't, you're the smartest person I know."

She turned around and lifted herself up on her forearm to look down at her best friend with his bright eyes and properly angelic face. She'd noticed him looking at girls and some girls looking back but she wondered.

"So does that mean you never…"

"Of course I never kissed anyone. When would I have had the time? We're together all the time!" he replied with a slightly embarrassed chuckle. 

She laughed with him as well but her gaze remained locked on his face. They did do everything together so she supposed… 

Jemma bent over and pressed her lips to his. Nothing happened for long seconds and she was wondering if maybe she should have warned him before kissing him but then his lips moved tentatively and she did the same before moving back after a moment. 

Hu. She really didn't know what the fuss was all about. Not that it was awful or anything. His lips were very soft, especially for someone who refused to put on chapstick even when it was as cold as it was these days, but it didn't really feel like something she'd feel the urge to do again and— Oh! His hand was suddenly on her neck and his eyes had taken on an intensity she'd never seen before as he gently pulled her back to him. The kiss less tentative and his lips were firmer this time as he moved them across hers. As his fingers moved up her hair, he parted her lips slightly and captured her lower lip between his, sucking on it lightly. She whimpered as the sensation sent a zing of pleasure all through her body and, feeling emboldened, she grazed her tongue over his upper lip. This time, he was the one who let out a little noise in the back of his throat and it made her whole body shiver. Now that felt like something worth fussing over. Had he really never kissed anyone before because he seemed to be really— Fitz pressed his tongue against hers and deepened the kiss and Jemma stopped thinking altogether for the first time in her life. 

Still, after a time, she had to break the kiss, panting and feeling warm and tingly all over as she moved back and put her head on his shoulder. Her eyes fluttered closed and she smiled when she noticed his heart pounding just as hard as hers.

"Thank you," she said after a moment, feeling like she should say it before she fell asleep. Turned out, even this tiny bed could be comfy as long as Fitz was right next to her.

"You're… welcome," he replied tentatively. "For what?"

"For giving me a first kiss worth remembering," she replied matter of factly. That was what they'd been talking about just a minute ago. Was that kiss so good for him that he forgot how to think altogether? 

"But what did that mean, Jemma? For us."

Oh. Did he think their relationship had changed now? That they would be doing more of this now. She looked up at him with his lips still swollen from kissing her and she had to admit it was very tempting to do it again. And again. But they were best friends, had been for almost ten years. She couldn't risk that for some basic hormonal reaction to a very pleasant activity.

"We're best friends. Best friends do nice things for each other, don't they?"

"Yeah. I guess."

He sounded disappointed but it was better that way and he would soon get over it. They didn't say another word to each other that night and he didn't hold her hand as they both finally drifted off to sleep. But when she woke up at the break of dawn, his arm was wound protectively around her shoulder and his face was buried in her hair and she knew they'd be alright.

 

**Seventeen years old**

Fitz sighed and extended his arm towards the bedside table to turn the lights back on. It was no use pretending he'd be able to sleep tonight while Jemma was out. At least, here at the Academy, he didn't have to share his room with anyone and could find something to keep his mind busy without having to be careful not to wake up his roommate.

He couldn't believe Jemma went out on a date with someone like him. Some meathead from ops with his huge shoulders and stupid symmetrical face. What was his name again? Josh, Jeff, Joe? 

When they were recruited together to enter SHIELD Academy, they'd both been incredibly happy for the opportunity and the fact that they would do this together. It was only when their first day got closer that Fitz started being scared that she'd finally find someone who was worth her interest on all aspects. He never thought she'd fall for some meatheaded idiot from ops. Not that she'd said anything about falling for the guy, she'd just accepted going out on a date but still… And the worst was that Fitz had to hide everything he felt because he knew he had no right to be jealous. It had just been just one kiss, however game changing it had been for him, and she had been very clear about it simply being a friendly gesture and nothing more. And it was two years ago anyway. But Fitz just couldn't forget.

Before he could decide if studying for their SHIELD history test really was a better option than thinking about Jemma and whatshisface, there was a knock on the door. 

"Fitz, are you still awake? It's me!"

"Yeah, come in!" he replied without thinking then cursed internally when he remembered that Jemma was supposed to be on a date and that he couldn't take it if she was there to gush about how well it had gone. 

"Oh good, you're still up!" she let out as she walked into the room, taking her coat and shoes off and letting her bag fall on the floor as she made a beeline for his bed in a very messy and un-Jemma like fashion. 

"Well, yeah, I just told you—" 

"Come on, make some room for me," she cut him off and Fitz just did as he was told because well, because he almost always did anyway and, obviously, now wasn't going one of the rare instances where he didn't. 

"Is everything alright?" he asked as she settled on her side with her head on his shoulder. Something was definitely not normal with her but it was hard to focus when she was so close to him and her hair tickled his jaw.

"It's been a while since we shared a bed," she said sounding kind of… wistful.

"Two years," he replied tentatively as he wondered where she was going with that. 

After their kiss, they'd never shared a bed again, even when they could have. Oh, they were still the best of friends but something felt different and it was all because of him. He hated that he couldn't get over a kiss and that it had created a boundary between them when there have never been any. Sure, she was the one who had kissed him first but he was the one who had gone back for seconds when they could have remained on the memory of that first lukewarm kiss instead of that wonderful second—

She pressed her lips to his before he had the time to finish his thought. This time, it only took him a second to kiss her back and then it was like they were picking up exactly where they had left off two years ago. She moved a little closer and put her hand on his chest as she deepened the kiss and Fitz completely melted into it. He wound his arms around her shoulders, emboldened by the little noises she made as their lips and tongues danced together and god, he hoped this wasn't a dream. He'd often wondered if maybe he was remembering it better than it really was because it was the only kiss he ever had and he already loved Jemma more than anything in the world, but that doubt could now definitely be put to rest. Kissing Jemma was definitely the most exhilarating thing there was and he'd do it for the rest of his life if he had a say in it.

Wait. Did he have a say in it? What did it mean this time? Was her date so bad that she wanted a good snog from her best friend to make up for it?

Gathering all his willpower, Fitz finally broke the kiss and pulled back from her as much as he could in his position.

"Jemma, wait…" he said, keeping his eyes closed a moment longer to try and gather his thoughts. "What-what does it mean? If this is just one of those things you need me for and then—"

"This isn't _just_ anything," she replied immediately as she cupped his cheek to make him look at her. She looked excited, like when she'd just made a breakthrough in the lab. "This is everything and I think I'm in love with you, Fitz."

"But-but- why now? What about whatshisface and his broad shoulders and symmetrical face and whatever?" 

it didn't make sense to him. After two years of wishing she'd start seeing him the way he saw her, he'd lost all hope for it. So why would it happen now that he thought she'd finally found someone she really liked. She giggled as her expression turned much softer. 

"Tonight was nice and Jason was sweet and he even asked me out on a second date. And I was tempted to say yes but then I realized that if I did and it worked out between us, he'd be my first real boyfriend and it didn't seem right. You and I, we've done everything together since we were six, and I couldn't remember why I ever thought we shouldn't do this together. So I told him I couldn't go out with him anymore and I came straight to you."

"And that's it?" Fitz asked, his mind drifting from delirious happiness to disbelief and back every five seconds.

"Well, I had to see you to be sure but the moment I opened the door and you were there, I knew. It was like coming home." Fitz thought his heart might burst out of his chest with how fast it was beating. "Also, you should know that your face is very symmetrical as well and I like your nicely proportioned shoulders better anyway. And I like what's in your head and what's in there even more," she said, putting her hand on his chest.

"My boobs?"

She burst out laughing.

"Your heart, you idiot! And even your silly humor."

Fitz took her hand and brought it to his lips to kiss her knuckles, his grin threatening to split his face in two.

"Fitz, I said something and you didn't really answer and I—"

He cut her off with a kiss, slow and soft, because he'd been wanting to do this everyday for the past two years and he still wasn't a hundred percent convinced it wasn't a dream. And if it was, he was going to make the best of it. 

"I love you too," he whispered against her lips when he broke the kiss. "But bloody hell, it took you long enough to catch up for once," he added before capturing her lips again. She giggled happily into the kiss as it grew more passionate. As he moved closer to run his hands over her back and she fisted his t-shirt, she slowly rolled onto her back and… almost fell off the bed. He caught her just in time and pulled her back flush against him and they burst out laughing as they broke the kiss.

"You know, I think we're definitely getting too big to share a single bed," he whispered into her ear and she giggled.

"Do you want me to leave?" she teased.

"Nope, I got you, I'm not letting you leave now!" 

When they were finally too exhausted, even for kissing, they fell asleep with Jemma lying half on top of him and their limbs just as tangled together as their lives had always been.

 

**Eighteen years old**

"Fitz, it's not scientifically possible to be drunk after only one beer," Jemma said as she stopped walking and turned around to look at him, taking his hands in hers.

"Then why are you like this?" he asked and she raised her eyebrows. "All giggly and giddy and whatever." 

She giggled once more.

"Well because I _am_ giddy! We just celebrated our birthdays and even though it doesn't change much to be eighteen here, back at home we're officially adults AND I'm studying in the most exciting school in the world with my best friend and boyfriend whom I love both very very much. I'm more than giddy Fitz, I'm delirious with happiness!" 

As she spoke, Jemma saw Fitz's face go from amusement to giddiness to the same happiness she was feeling and now she could almost see his heart melting into his chest and his eyes getting wet. She loved that he was so sweet and sensitive and attuned to his emotions, and just looking at his incredibly expressive face made her love him even more.

She took a step closer and kissed him. He let go of her hands and wound his arms immediately around her as he kissed her back enthusiastically. She whimpered when he captured her lower lip between his and sucked on it the way he knew she liked so much and she took a few more steps forwards until Fitz's back hit the wall and he let out a small "humpf". Her hand went to his cheek and she tilted his face a little more before deepening the kiss.

Sometimes she couldn't believe that only two months ago, he was still only her adorable best friend and that in the space of one evening, he had become the man she already knew would be the only one for her. And at the same time, it's been two whole months since that night and she still felt like she couldn't keep her hands or lips off him. Fitz trailed his hands down her back to cup and squeeze her arse and Jemma whimpered as she pressed her body even closer, the evidence of his desire making her a lot more than giddy. In the past months, there'd been more than a few snogging sessions in storerooms, dark corners of the boiler room or their own room that had turned into a little more than snogging and at this moment, Jemma finally knew exactly how she wanted to celebrate their birthdays. 

After a few more minutes, Jemma gathered what remained of her restraint and broke the kiss as she lightly pushed at his shoulders. He looked a little bewildered, all pink cheeks, swollen lips and dark eyes. Overall completely horny and absolutely irresistible. She reluctantly took his hands off her arse and held them between them once more. 

"Come on," she said, nodding towards her room at the end of the corridor. The poor thing looked too far gone to be able to form sentences so she just started walking and he followed like a horny puppy. She quickly unlocked the door and pulled him in before locking it behind them. She went to turn the bedside table lamp on and took her jacket, purse and shoes off before turning around and finding Fitz still standing at the entrance, looking wide eyed, and Jemma burst out laughing. 

That seemed to take him out of his trance and he glared at her, which only made her laugh even more. Ignoring his attempt to glare harder, she came to stand before him and pushed his jacket off his shoulders before reaching for his tie and loosening the knot enough to pull it over his head.

"Fitz, you've been in my room before," she said as she let the tie fall to the floor and wound her arms around his neck.

"I know."

"And you've been in my bed before."

"I know," he said, his voice a little low and his eyes having taken on that incredibly soft expression she only ever saw when he was looking at her.

"Then don't overthink it, okay?" 

He nodded and tilted his head down to kiss her. His bout of shyness having quickly passed, the kiss grew in intensity and the same tingles she'd felt all over her skin during their first kiss covered her body once more and she soon felt the need for more. She wanted to know what those hip bones looked like with no clothes on and finally know which one of them had the most freckles. But mostly, she wanted those hands that had already given her such pleasure and delightful sensations all over her and for them to experience this scary, but new and exciting thing together. She knew it would come to this sooner or later of course and now it was about to happen, she had trouble remembering why she'd waited so long. Which, she supposed, meant that it was indeed the right moment. 

Fitz fortunately seemed to agree because he started walking her backwards. She broke the kiss when the backs of her knees hit the edge of the bed and sat before sliding towards the head of the bed. Fitz quickly got rid of his sneakers before coming to join her on his hands and knees, his expression a mix of lust, shyness and overwhelming love. She smiled as she laid back and pulled him on top of her, locking their lips once more. 

Under her hands, his body was warm, heavy and firm in more than one way and with every passing second, Jemma was more and more certain about the rightness of what they were about to do. In a flurry of movements, his shirt and her top were gone and abandoned on the ground. As he kissed every inch of the exposed skin of her chest, his hands started to wander again. One went for her boob, the left one that seemed to be his favorite for some reason, the other under her skirt. His movements were eager but his hands a little shaky and it only made her love him more. His fingers finally reached their destination and Jemma let out a loud gasp as she arched up from the mattress. Fitz froze as he seemed startled by her reaction and Jemma took this opportunity to move back and reach for her bedside table before she lost all ability to think.

"Oh Jemma, I'm sorry, I thought that was what you-what we were about—"

"No, no, no, Fitz, don't be sorry. That's-that was perfectly alright, very nice even," she cut him off, taking his hand and pulling him closer once more. "I just wanted to take… this," she said, awkwardly brandishing the condom she'd gotten from her drawer.

"So you're really sure?" he asked and Jemma smiled fondly at how extra careful he was being despite her having been the instigator of it all.

"Very sure. What about you?"

"Yeah, of course," he replied before a small grin tucked at his lips. "What are best friends for after all?"

She grinned happily, winding her legs around his hips as he settled over her once more, holding himself up on one forearm while he trailed the fingers of the other hand over her bra encased breast.

"I like your bra," he said with a soft, happy smile.

Oh, right. That was the one with little robots on it she'd bought right after they started dating, knowing this day would come sooner or later. She hadn't even anticipated how tonight would go when she put it on earlier but she supposed a part of her subconscious had known.

"I thought you would," she replied then pulled his lips to her.

Their first time was a little awkward at times and frantic and over a little quicker than Jemma might have wanted to but it was still wonderful and loving. He had touched her like she was the most precious thing in the world and as she held him close when they were done, she hoped he knew that was exactly what he was to her. 

"So do you want to sleep?" he whispered in her ear.

"No."

"Do you want to play a game?"

"No."

"Do you want a hug?"

Jemma grinned as she rolled on top of him.

"Yes, that'd be a start."

Their second time was much better and they fell asleep at the break of dawn in her tiny bed with their hands entwined and their hearts beating in unison. Jemma had never felt quite as loved as when she was with Fitz and now, she knew that they would have a lifetime of falling asleep together.

 

**Twenty-one years old**

Fitz grinned as he heard the pit-pattering of naked feet trying very hard not to run as they got closer to their bedroom door. She opened the door and ran the last few feet before jumping into bed and pulling the covers back on top of them both. 

"Afraid of a bit of lightning?" he asked and she huffed the way she always did.

"Of course I'm not. I was just cold," she replied, crawling until she was all snuggled up to his side. After years of sharing tiny single beds, Fitz felt like they could easily lose each other in this new giant bed.

"It'll get warmer once we've emptied the boxes and I've worked on that radiator," he said, knowing she was lying but not one to deny his girlfriend cuddles after the long and tiring day they've had. 

Thunder rumbled outside and Jemma gasped loudly.

"You're totally afraid," he whispered in her ear, grinning.

"I'm not afraid, I just don't like it. I can't sleep with all the noise." 

Not moving away from her, he extended his hand to grab his phone from the bedside table and turned it on to use as a torch.

"Wanna play the dictionary game?" he asked and Jemma chuckled as she looked up at him.

"Have they added new words?"

"Don't think so…"

"Well, then it won't be much fun," she replied, pouting before snuggling even closer, hiking one leg over his and petting his chest absentmindedly. That was nice.

"There's something else we could do…" he suggested, his voice now a little lower. 

"The storm's going to last all night… Can you?" she said, pressing a line of kisses along his collarbone before looking up with a defiant grin. God, he loved her when she was like that. He loved her every single moment of every day but those small moments reminded him that, despite the spectacular evolution in their relationship, they were still the same boy and girl who found a kindred spirit in each other at six years old and never got bored of teasing each other.

"I'm hurt that you're doubting me. So before I rock your world and make you scream so loud you won't even hear the thunder, there's one other thing that might keep us busy for a few more minutes."

"I told you that time was special, it usually takes longer for me to—"

"Not talking about this," he cut her off as he straightened up slightly and turned around so he could look into her eyes better. Although, he could totally do that thing she was talking about under four minutes any day.

"Jemma, you know I love you more than anything, right?" he said and as he cupped her cheek and the mischievousness in her eyes slowly turned into something softer as she started noticing his mood has shifted to something different. She nodded. 

"And I love you too, Fitz."

"I've been wanting to do this since we were eighteen but I've been told we were too young so I waited until we finished the Academy and then I waited for the perfect moment but, you know what? I'm done waiting. I knew I never wanted to be without you since I was six years old…" With his free hand, Fitz reached under his pillow and blindly patted the mattress until he found what he was looking for and popped the box open to reveal a delicate silver ring with a blue stone on it. "So Jemma Simmons, will you marry me?"

Her eyes filled with tears instantly and her lips pulled into a tremulous smile as her hand came on top of his on her cheek. She didn't say a thing for a few seconds until she bit her lip and her expression shifted to something more playful once more despite the tears now falling down.

"Yeah okay," she finally replied. "What are best friends for after all?"


End file.
